1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to fencing and, in particular, to metal fence posts. More particularly, the present invention is an improved metal fence post which is used in conjunction with a wood fence.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditionally, wooden fence posts have been used to construct a wooden fence. Wooden fences are very desirable because of the appearance of the fence, especially for residential homes. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a conventional wood fence 8 includes a series of vertically oriented posts 10 which are inserted into a hole in the ground and the hole is then filled with dirt and/or cement. The posts 10 typically have a generally square cross-section with a width and depth of about four inches. The posts 10 are connected by two or more horizontally oriented wooden rails 12. The rails 12 are typically constructed from pieces of wood measuring two inches by four inches in cross section, commonly referred to as two-by-fours. Wooden slats or fence boards 14 are then attached to the 12 rails to create the fence 8.
The wooden fence posts used to construct the fence, however, have a number of disadvantages. For example, wooden fence posts decompose and decay, especially the portion of the post in or near the ground. Additionally, if the posts are set in concrete, there is a danger of breakage because the posts lack resilience about their base. Finally, the wooden fence posts are typically replaced every 5-10 years because of the deterioration and rotting of the wood.
It is known to use galvanized steel pipes in place of conventional wooden fence posts. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,890 issued to Commins, a steel pipe is inserted into the ground and a bracket is attached to the pipe by one or more bolts. The bracket is then connected to a conventional wooden fence rail. Disadvantageously, this system requires a significant amount of time to correctly position and attach the bracket to the pipe, and the system is expensive because it requires brackets and bolts. Additionally, the aesthetics of the fence are compromised because the galvanized pipe protrudes outwardly from the wooden fence and the color of the pipe does not match the color of the fence.
It is also known to directly attach the wooden rails of a typical fence to a galvanized steel pipe. In particular, holes must be drilled or punched through the pipe and the wooden rails are then bolted to the pipe. Disadvantageously, it requires a significant amount of time to drill the holes in the pipe and to attach the fence rails to the pipe. Further, because of the great contrast between the galvanized steel pipe and the wooden fence, the aesthetics of the fence are compromised.
As shown in FIG. 2, a known fence post 16 is constructed from steel and it includes a first flange 18, a second flange 20 and a V-shaped notch 22. One side of a standard fence rail 12 is fastened to the flanges 18, 20 of the post 16 and wooden slats 14 are attached to the other side of the fence rails. Disadvantageously, the V-shaped notch 22 of the fence post 16 protrudes outwardly from the fence line created by the fence rails 12 and slats 14, and this ruins the aesthetics of the fence. In addition, the metal fence posts detract from the appearance of the wooden fence and the outwardly extending V-shaped notch 22 may create a safety hazard.
In order to create an aesthetically pleasing fence, known steel fence posts must be painted to match the color of the wood. For example, if a natural wood fence is desired, the steel posts are painted to match the color of the wood, but this is often very difficult because the wood may have many different colors, patterns and textures. On the other hand, if the fence and steel fence post are painted the same color, after a relatively short period of time the fence posts and fence are different colors because the steel posts and wooden fence components weather and change color at different rates. Further, in order to paint the steel fence posts, an expensive powder or primer coating is often necessary. This adds to the cost of the fence and increases the complexity of manufacturing the fence posts.
Thus, known metal fence posts used with conventional wooden fences compromise the aesthetics of the fence because the metal posts detract from the appearance of the fence. Further, in addition to being difficult to use and costly to install, conventional metal fence posts can only be used in certain configurations.